Quick change barrel cam traverse winding housing



Sept- 8, 1970 R. w. BUROW 3,527,423

QUICK CHANGE BARREL CAM TRAVERSE WINDING HOUSING Filed Jan. 30, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet l RICHARD W. BUROW INVENTOR.

BYTWMX. QM

ATTORNEY P 8, 1970 R. w. BUROW 3,527,423

QUICK CHANGE BARREL CAM TRAVERSE WINDING HOUSING Filed Jan. 30, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 RICHARD W. BUROW INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY R. W. BUROW Sept. 8, 1970 QUICK CHANGE BARREL CAM TRAVERSE WINDING HOUSING Filed Jan. 30, 1969 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 'ENTOR.

RICHARD W. BUROW I IV ATTORNEY United States Patent 01 hoe Patented Sept. 8, 1970 US. Cl. 242-43 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Barrel cam high speed traverse winding appartus having a yarn guide cam follower for guiding yarn onto a bobbin. Spaced parallel guide rails confine the cam follower for movement in a linear path, and may be formed integral with the two housings of the apparatus. The guide rails are readily separated so as to replace a worn or defective yarn guide cam follower by an adjustment means which causes rapid movement of one of the housings from the other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a traverse winding apparatus such as for high speed winding of yarn onto a yarn tube or bobbin and is particularly directed to a traverse winding apparatus having a barrel cam and a yarn guide cam follower that is caused to make a reciprocating mo tion by following the groove in the surface of the barrel cam.

In traverse winding apparatus of the type indicated above, the yarn guide cam follower has a cooperating portion that fits into the groove in the barrel and is confined to a linear reciprocating motion between a pair of parallel guide rails which are also parallel to the yarn tube or bobbin. As the yarn guide cam follower is caused to move back and forth between the guide rails, the yarn which it is guiding is caused to move similarly along the length of the bobbin as it is being wound thereon.

The production of synthetic textile fibers such as the polyester continuous filaments in the spin-draw processes require yarn take-up apparatus capable of operating at speeds in excess of 3,000 yards per minute. Such high take-up speed means a high traverse speed which tends to shorten the wear life of both the rails and the yarn guide cam follower. Wear of the guide rails also tends to cause the cam follower to have a shorter life since such wear results in increased spacing between the rails and hence the follower experiences vibration during traverse.

Some prior art apparatus have guide rails that are disposed in fixed position; thus a replacement of the yarn guide cam follower is costly in terms of lost production time. Other apparatus developed to reduce lost production time and to facilitate replacement of the cam followers are made so as to require movement of the follower to one end of the barrel cam and then into an exit groove. This is also a time consuming operation because the apparatus does not enable the follower to be replaced at any point in the traverse stroke, In still another apparatus, such as the one disclosed by Altice et al. in US. Pat. No. 3,074,286, which issued Ian. 22, 1963, an arcuate cover member carrying one of the parallel guide rails is movable in an arcuate manner around the barrel cam away from the other guide rail for purposes of replacing the yarn guide cam follower; however, the construction is a relatively elaborate mechanism requiring careful machining such as the positioning of the stops 46 and the formation of the V-notches in the stops; and the careful inter-sliding fit of the cover 18 relative to the flange portions 44 of the bridge 16.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, one of the objects of the invention is to provide a high speed traverse winder of the barrel cam type with a construction that will facilitate rapid or quick change of the yarn guide cam follower as well as rapid and accurate re-alignment of the guide rails once the yarn guide cam follower has been replaced.

Other objects inherent in the nature of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art of which this invention appertains from the drawings and the description that is set forth herein.

In order to accomplish the objects of the invention, a yarn traverse winding apparatus of the type having a rotatable barrel cam cylinder provided with a contin uous groove, and a yarn guide cam follower fitting into the groove for linear traverse movement in guiding a yarn as it is wound onto a bobbin has two separate housings. Each housing defines an arcuate longitudinal recess, the two housing recesses together in opposed relationship cooperating to encircle the barrel cam cylinder. Each housing has at one side of the recess a guide rail and at the other side a fiat plate or planar surface structure for seating engagement against the corresponding planar surface structure of the other housing. In this manner, the spacing between the guide rails is established so as to be accurately aligned and in parallel relation to confine therebetween the yarn guide cam follower in its linear traverse movement. The alignment of the two housings is accomplished by the use of pin members extending through the flat plates or planar surface structures of both housings, and the two housings are quickly se arated by applying a force to the center of one of the housings which is free to move relative to the other housing. The force may be applied by a screw or pneumatic cylinder or by other means operating in similar manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the traverse winding apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 but with portions broken away and in cross-section to illustrate guide pins, and a ball and screw for applying a force to the center of one of the two housings;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the separation of one of the housings relative to the other; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment with portions broken away and in cross-section and illustrating a pneumatic arrangement for rapidly separating the two housings.

DESCRIPTION In reference to the drawings, the yarn traverse winding apparatus 10 has an upper housing 12 and a lower housing 14 and end bearing housings 16, all of which serve to support and enclose for rotation the barrel cam 18. The barrel cam is provided with a helical or continuous groove 20 that causes a yarn guide cam follower 22 that fits therein to make rapid traverse movements. The housings are each provided with a guide rail 24,

26 that are preferably integrally formed with their respective housings in a manner to be described.

The barrel cam 18 is supported in the apparatus for rotation by a pair of bearings 28 (FIGS. 1 and 3) that fit within a bore 29 (FIG. 3) in the end bearing housings, and is rotatably driven through shaft 30 (FIG. 1) by a suitable motive power means (not shown). A retaining ring 31 limits movement of each bearing axially outward of the end bearing housing. The two end bearing housings 16 are joined to the upper and lower housings by dowel pins 32 and socket head screw 34.

The yarn guide cam follower 22, as shown in more detail in FIG. 3, has a yarn guide portion 36 that has a slot 38 for holding the yarn 40 (FIG. 1). The body portion of the follower contains a pair of cut-outs 42 which cooperatingly receive the guide rails 24, 26. Cam follower fingers 44 are adapted to ride within the cam groove 20. The yarn guide cam follower is illustrated in FIG. 3 as having been rotated from its normal position when disposed between the guide rails.

The apparatus may further be provided with an idle roller 46 that will bear against the yarn bobbin (not shown) during winding operation. The idle roll is held in operative position within the apparatus by plates 47 and screws 49.

In reference now to the upper and lower housings 12, 14 respectively, each housing defines an arcuate, longitudinal recess 48 that together in opposed relationship encircle the barrel cam roller 18. The upper housing 12 has at one side of the recess 48 the aforementioned integral guide rail 24, and at the other side is provided with a planar surface or flat plate 50. The lower housing 14 also has at one side of the recess 48 the integral guide rail 26, and at the other side is provided with a planar surface or flat plate 52. It should be recognized that a series of interrupted planar surfaces along the inner-face of each hous ing would still be within the scope of the invention.

The guide rails are preferably treated so as to have a final hardness of about Rockwell C-60 to C-70, which has by experiment been found to show a significant increase in useful life. When one or the other rails has become worn after three to six months use, either housing or both may be readily replaced with corresponding hous- 1ngs.

The two housings are maintained in longitudinal alignment by guide pins 54 which extend perpendicularly through both fiat plates 50', 52 of the two housings. The number of guide pins to be used depends on the length of the housings; in FIGS. 2 and 3, only one pin is illustrated, but there is at least one other (not shown) at the other end of the housing on the other side of the adjustment screw 56. In the particular embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 the guide pins are shown to be seated as by pressure fit within a recess 58 in the upper housing 12 while being free to move in the recess 60 in the lower housing 14. The guide pins are held under tension by the springs 62, which are positioned over the reduced lower end portions of the guide pins and held in place against a flat washer 64 at the lower end of recess 60 by a retaining ring 66 that fits within a notch at the lower end of the reduced end portion of the guide pin. In this manner, therefore, the upper housing 12 will move upwardly away from the lower housing 14 when adjustment screw 56 is turned. The screw operates in abutment against a ball 68 that is seated in a recess 70' in the lower housing 14. FIG. 3 illustrates the separation of the two housings, and hence the separation of the guide rails, when the adjustment screw is turned. The springs 60 are shown under compression, so that when the adjustment screw is turned in the opposite direction to release the upper housing, the upper housing is pulled back into operative position by the springs.

In FIG. 4, the same apparatus is illustrated with like parts being identified by primed reference numbers, but illustrating a pneumatic arrangement 72 for accomplishing a more rapid separation of the guide rails. The pneumatic arrangement, which may be gas or fluid operated, has a cylinder 74 and a piston 76, the piston is seated within a recess 78 in the upper housing 12 and when activated causes the upper housing to move upwardly away from the lower housing 14.

The cylinder 74 may be secured by a U-bolt 80 to an adjustable bracket 82 which in turn is held to a support plate 84 by bolts 86 (only one showing). A control unit 88 may be used, and has an operating handle 90 illustrated in the closed position. Upon movement of the handle clockwise from its closed position, gas or fluid may move from supply line 92 to line 94 to cause operation of the piston.

It should be apparent from the preceding description that the construction of the traverse winding apparatus is relatively simple wherein the flat plates or planar surfaces of the two housings assure accurate parallel alignment and the desired spacing of the guide rails, which are preferably formed integral with the respective housings. When the adjustment means, either the screw adjustment or the pneumatic arrangement or other similarly performing means, is operated, the two housings are readily separated from each other so as to enable the yarn guide cam follower to be released from its confinement between the guide rails. Preferably, the separation only has to be sufficient so as to enable the yarn guide to be rotated to release the fingers 44 of the cam follower from the groove. The orientation of the cam follower upon removal or in preparation for insertion and replacement is shown in FIG. 3.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A traverse winding apparatus adapted for rapid replacement of a worn or defective reciprocable yarn guide and comprising:

(A) first and second housings each having wall means defining an arcuate recess for together in opposed relation cooperatingly encircling a barrel cam provided with a continuous groove for engagement with and reciprocation of a yarn guide;

(B) each wall means at one side of the arcuate recess having a guide rail and at the other side having planar means adapted to seatingly engage the planar means of the other housing, the two planar means when in seated engagement serving to position accurately the guide rails in parallel, predetermingly spaced apart relation for the rails to constrain and guide therebetween along a linear path a yarn guide; and

(C) means for rapidly moving in guided relation one of the housings from and in return to said seated engagement so as to remove a yarn guide from constrainment between the guide rails and replace with another yarn guide.

2. A traverse winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein said means for rapidly moving in guided relation one of the housings includes pin means spaced apart along the length of the apparatus and extending into and between the planar means of each of the housings and adapted to join together in alignment the housings, and actuating means for moving one of the housings relative to the length of the pin means.

3. A traverse winding apparatus as defined in claim 2, and wherein said actuating means includes a rotatable screw connected to one of the housings and a freely rotatable ball seated in a recess in the other housing and against which ball the end of thescrew rotatingly abuts for urging one housing apart from the other when the screw is rotated.

4. A traverse winding apparatus as defined in claim 2,

5 6 and wherein said actuating means includes a reciprocable References Cited piston member in abutment at its one end with one of the housings and a cylinder in which the other end of the UNITED STTES PATENTS piston member is seated, the cylinder connected to the 3074'286 1/1963 f" et other housing and adapted to cause reciprocation of said 3,248,064 4/1966 Rolhngs 242-43 piston for urging one housing apart from the other when 5 3,281,086 10/1966 Goodman et 242-1583 X actuated 3,353,761 11/1967 Graf 24-243 5. A traverse winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein each guide rail is integrally formed with one STANLEY GILREATH Pnmary Examiner of the housings and has been treated to a hardness of 10 US. Cl. X.R. about Rockwell C-60 to C-70. 74 57; 242 158 3 F g g n UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 5,527,423 Dated September 8, 1970 Patent No.

Richard W. Burow Invcntot(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

[ Column 1, line 54, after "barrel" insert -ca m-.

Column 1, line 50, after "experiences" insert --increased--.

SIGNED mo SEALED FEB 2 FEB. 2,1971

(SEAL) Attest:

EdmflMJlstohmh- NIH-1MB. SGHUYIM, un-nanomof ma i TEC 10261 

